Top 10 PC games of 2013

2013 may be the most exciting time to be a PC gamer. The biggest AAA developers and publishers are embracing the PC again as a real gaming platform, the independent scene is as vibrant and brilliant as ever, and the cost of a new machine is dropping every day. While there are hundreds of games coming to the PC (and Mac and Linux, I haven’t forgotten about you two rascals) this year, I only have room to tell you about the ten that I’m most excited about.

10. Day Z (Standalone)

I can’t count the number of times I’ve nearly caved in and purchased Arma II just for the Day Z mod. Pitting random people against zombies, let alone themselves, is entirely too enticing. However, I hope the developers behind the game are open to simplifying the controls a bit. The one time I tried playing Arma II turned into a severe case of “I don’t know what I’m doing and there are too many buttons.”

9. Bioshock Infinite

I think I’m one of seven people in the world who didn’t like the first Bioshock. I loved the atmosphere and concept of the game, but actually playing it was a pain in the ass. The plasmids and shooting mechanics never felt “right” to me, and when you’re playing a first person shooter, that’s generally considered a bad thing. Hopefully Irrational Games will have a great game to play to go along with the incredibly enticing world of Columbia.

8. Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs

Did you play Amnesia: The Dark Decent? No? Why are you reading this, then? Go get the crap scared out of you, then come back. I can wait. Now, I have no idea if this a proper sequel, or just some kind of weird “thematic sequel,” but this pseudo-sequel from Frictional Games and thechineseroom (The folks behind Dear Esther) looks absolutely terrifying, and I can’t wait. Besides, the title alone sounds like a Nine Inch Nails song.